


You've Got So Far To Go

by orphan_account



Category: Torchwood
Genre: First Date, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-07-13
Updated: 2011-07-27
Packaged: 2017-10-21 09:06:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/223470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is basically canon. All the dialogue you see here is from episode 201 "Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang." All the description is my interpretation of their movements. There's obviously some other stuff I put in, but yeah. This chapter is kinda pretty much entirely canon.</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. Is That A Yes?

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically canon. All the dialogue you see here is from episode 201 "Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang." All the description is my interpretation of their movements. There's obviously some other stuff I put in, but yeah. This chapter is kinda pretty much entirely canon.

Jack Harkness was nearly power walking down the empty corridor. He was followed in silence by Ianto Jones, who kept a steady pace behind as Jack pulled open the doors that led to their destination; though, "yanking" was probably a more accurate word for the way he pulled open the second door.

He slowed his steps as he stood in the doorway and took in the atmosphere of the environment he now found himself in. "Oh, yeah," he mused, meandering his way around desks with computers on top. "Lovin' that office-y feel. I always get excited in these places. To me, they're exotic. Office romances..." He swung his arm around a white pole—which, he presumed, was to aid in holding the building up—and leaned against it. "Photocopying your butt. Well, maybe not your butt; although, as we're here, why don't we photo-"

Ianto, who had taken the liberty of rummaging through papers and other office supplies, didn't want him to finish that sentence."The rift was active," he interjected, placing his hands on a desk and standing from his crouched position, "these coordinates, approximately two hundred feet above ground. That means this floor...or the roof." He made his way around to the other side of the desk and continued to sift through the items strewn across the work area.

The Time Agent straightened slightly, the playfulness induced by his love of offices gone. "...how are you, Ianto?"

Ianto turned to face him, but only for a moment."All the better for having you back, sir," he replied, turning away and walking to the other side of the room to continue his search.

"Can we maybe drop the 'sir' now?" Jack moved away from the pole and shifted awkwardly on his feet. "I mean, while I was away, I...I was thinkin'...maybe we could...y'know, when this is...all done. Dinner. Movie..." The words were coming out in a jumbled mess as he watched the tea boy pace about, putting his hand on his head in slight frustration. Jack's usual calm and secure demeanor was fading quickly, and he wasn't entirely sure why. _Perhaps_ , he thought, _it's because Ianto looks so good in that pink shirt_.

The Welshman stopped and faced Jack. His hands found a place on his hips as he attempted to comprehend what Jack was saying. "Are...you asking me out on a date?" he asked slowly, almost in disbelief the words were even coming from his mouth. Jack wasn't one for romance, after all...

"Interested?" Jack pulled his head back in attempt to force some ounce of confidence out of his body.

"Uh, well...as...long as it's...not in an office." Ianto's words were somewhat choppy and arrhythmic. "Some fetishes should be kept to yourself." He made his way to another desk, almost as though he was trying to avoid further awkwardness.

"Looks like we're gonna hafta go through every drawer, bin, and plant pot!" Jack mused as he slowly advanced toward Ianto, pausing every few steps to admire the ambience of the simple, yet colorful, décor. A quick, nervous chuckle found its way into the air around them.

"Right, okay. I'll do the floor; don't want you gettin' over-excited." Ianto smiled lightly when he looked at Jack, who didn't seem amused by the comment. "You take the roof; you're good on roofs..."

Jack nodded and started toward the door to do as Ianto had asked. It wasn't every day he would take orders from someone else, but given the circumstances they were under at the present time, it seemed best not to ask and just do.

"Jack?" Ianto called. Jack stopped just as he was about to slip out the door. "Why are we h-helping him?"

"He's a reminder of my past; I want him gone." He gave Ianto a look that could be read in a million ways. In this instance, it was the "end of discussion" expression, as Jack wasn't going to reveal more than he absolutely had to.

Ianto had no choice but to accept the explanation as given; he obviously wasn't going to get any more out of the other man.

Hand on the door, Jack made to leave again, but turned around and quietly asked, "By the way, is that a yes?"

"Yes," Ianto replied quickly. He repeated himself, a bit softer, almost like he was trying to convince himself that the entire conversation just happened.

Jack smirked, impressed it had gone over so well. He kept his composure until he was out of Ianto's sight. Once he was sure the other couldn't see, however, he practically skipped down the hall, shaking off the butterflies that were still flying around in the pit of his stomach. Ianto said yes. He said yes! Why had he been so nervous? There was seemingly no reason for him to have been the wreck he felt like inside; he knew Ianto would say yes. If he didn't, well, that just wouldn't be right. What if he had...? Oh but he didn't. And when he said yes—twice, for that matter—it was just the cutest thing, and...

He took a breath and pulled his coat tight around his body. Why he had done that, he wasn't sure, but it seemed to calm the nerves slightly.


	2. You're A Bit Overdressed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhm...no notes yet. xD Just enjoy it, and remember that reviews and whatnot make me a happy clam :3

Four days later, Jack wandered into the Hub. "Alright, everyone. Go home for the night."

Tosh took a glance at the clock at the bottom of her computer screen. "Jack, it's six o'clock. You never let us go at six."

Gwen nodded, leaning back in a chair. "She's right. Got a hot date?"

Jack laughed. "As a matter of fact, I do. Now go home. All of you."

Ianto's face fell slightly, almost in dismay that Jack hadn't added onto his command. He got his things together slowly as he criticized himself for thinking that a date would actually happen. He should have expected this; it was too good to be true. It wasn't like he had actually planned on it, though. He'd just had a hope that Jack would want to be seen in public with him when it didn't involve business.

Heavy heart in his chest, he cleaned up the coffeemaker and made for the door, not even batting an eyelash when Owen tripped over something in his haste to get out. Usually, that would have been a laugh for him, something he could use to poke fun at Owen for about the next week or so, but that really wasn't the case for him any longer.

He made his way out into the car park and began his walk home. He hadn't lived very far, and he always enjoyed walking home, even if it was at night. Especially if it was at night, actually. Ianto loved taking scenic ways home, watching the water toy with the streetlights of Cardiff. It was beautiful. On a clear night, which was rare, the stars reflected in the water as the ripples caused by wind or tiny tides would make the lights and the stars dance together. Sometimes it would take an hour or two, and his legs would hurt by the time he finally made it, but it wasn't like he had anything else he really needed to be doing.

His phone started ringing with some God-awful default ringtone he'd never bothered to change. He didn't even look at it, just flipped it open and put it to his ear. "Hello," he droned, in a voice that sounded less like a "hello" and more like a depressed answering machine: _Hi, you've reached Ianto Jones. I think right now I'd rather be dead._

"Well don't you sound chipper," an American voice sounded in his ear.

"Jack."

"Hey, go home and change into something more appropriate for a dinner-and-movie date, okay? You're a bit...overdressed for the occasion."

"Uh...what?"

"Geez, Ianto, I would figure you'd be more happy and excited. Are you feeling okay? I thought you've been waiting for this and all."

"I am. I just...why didn't you tell them it was with me?" Ianto asked sadly. He scuffed his toe along the concrete as he walked, digging in his pocket to fish for his keys. It was a nervous habit; the jingling of keys was just one of his many quirks. Though, to him it was rather calming.

"I don't think it's any of their business, that's all. Our relationship is for us, not them."

 _Not like it's too much of a secret..._ he thought. _Everyone's seen us kiss. There's no doubt they've heard us when we..._ Ianto shook his head and nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

In his office, Jack shifted in his chair, putting his feet up on the desk. "So get something nice on—but dress down," he said with a smile, "and I'll see you around..." He trailed off, turning to look at a clock. 6:15. "Think you can be ready in fifteen minutes?"

"If you'd like, yes."

"Good, 6:30, then. I'll be there to pick you up. What do you want to eat tonight, Ianto?"

Ianto hadn't given it much thought. In all honesty, he was fine as long as it wasn't something...fast like they had in the Hub. "I don't have a preference," he murmured. "You know what I like, Jack. Though, can I request that it isn't..." He paused, attempting to find the right words to describe what he _didn't_ want. "Hub food? I can't tell you how sick I'm getting of pizza. I mean, it's good pizza, but I don't know how much more cheese I can eat until—"

"Absolutely. I've got a place in mind."

"Yeah." Ianto continued to fish through his pockets, finally getting his keys as he reached the steps to his building. "I'm at my building now, so..." He made his way to the third floor, and fumbled with the brass doorknob. The key stuck. "Are you bloody kidding me?" he murmured, swearing under his breath.

Jack couldn't help but laugh. "Need a little extra time, Ianto?" he asked cheekily.

"Not funny, sir."

"Hey, I said drop the sir."

Ianto finally managed to jam the key into the lock and push the door open. "6:30," he said, kicking the door closed behind him. "Which vehicle should I look for?" _Please don't be the SUV..._

"Not sure yet. You'll know, though. How many people are coming down the street at this time of night?"

Ianto kicked the door shut and walked across to the other side of the flat, looking out one of the white-trimmed bay windows. "A lot..." he mumbled. Of course there were a lot of people coming around. He lived in a decent flat in the middle of Cardiff. It wasn't exactly the smallest city in Wales, neither in size nor population.

"Well, you'll know it when you see it. I can toss pebbles at your window, if you'd like. We could _Say Anything_ it up. I'll even hold a boombox."

Jack's proposal brought an adoring smile to the Welshman's face. "Well, if you threw pebbles at my window, that'd be _Romeo and Juliet_ ," he corrected. He began rummaging through his closet to find something more appropriate for their date, settling on a plain white button-down shirt and a pair of comfortable—yet sophisticated—dark-wash denim jeans. "And knowing you," he said with a small chuckle, "you'd toss a boulder and break my window."

Jack laughed. "I don't even know which window would be yours."

"Even worse." Ianto struggled to hold the phone to his ear between his head and his shoulder as he and Jack joked. He was finding it difficult to dress himself; sure, he had been extremely good at multitasking, but every so often, he dropped the phone and would have to struggle to pick it back up.

"You know, Jack," he said as he fumbled to unzip his suit pants, "I'm going to go so I can dress. I'm still expecting you around 6:30. Don't be late." He grinned.

"Is that a command I sense, Ianto Jones?"

"It might be."

"Well then. I'll try not to disappoint. I'll see you in ten minutes."

"Not the thing to tell to a man with a stopwatch, sir," Ianto murmured as the phone clicked on Jack's line. He hit the button at the top of the watch and smiled, then changed his clothes.

He examined himself closely in the mirror. "Shoes... Shoes..."


	3. Rolled-Up Sleeves Look Good On You

Jack made his way to Ianto's flat, zipping through the rush hour-clogged streets of Cardiff with ease. He'd picked a black sport bike for the date. It was classy enough, he thought, yet it was unique. At least, he had never seen anyone take their date out for dinner on a "crotch rocket." At a stoplight, he glanced down at the address he had quickly scribbled down from Ianto's official Torchwood file.

Richmond Road. Jack managed to find it after a few minutes of searching and parked near what he presumed to be the correct set of buildings. They were made of gray stone, which looked slightly weathered. The trim around the windows was painted a stark white in contrast, though they looked slightly orange in the glow of the streetlights that were just starting to turn on for the evening.

Jack took a guess and picked a building, making his way up to the third floor. "300..." he murmured, scanning the doors as he walked past. "305...no...310...no..." He mumbled little things to himself about the numbers, attempting to reason out an approximate location. It took a few minutes, but he finally worked out that the numbers went by fives and, logically, the fourth door should be...

"Found it!" he announced in triumph, striking the cherry oak door with two knuckles.

Inside, Ianto was pulling on his other charcoal Converse All-Star. He heard the rapping on the door and swore under his breath, hopping across the flat as he tried, in vain, to tie his shoe as he moved toward the door. "Hang on a second," he called. He stopped to look at his stopwatch. "You've got two minutes!"

"You really started the stopwatch, Ianto?" Jack mused, leaning against the door. "Really?"

"Sometimes you like to show up late. If it wasn't for me, you'd get nowhere on time."

Jack only laughed. "Hurry up."

"You're a minute and forty seconds early!"

"Don't complain!"

Ianto hit the small button once more and finished tying his shoe. He cracked the door just enough so he could get out, and slipped into the corridor.

"Well don't you look incredible," the Time Agent said softly. "I like the rolled up sleeves, Ianto. They look good on you."

Ianto blushed. "Ah, yeah... Thank you." He stumbled over his words. "You look good, ah, too."

Jack grinned. He hadn't changed at all, figuring his slightly informal style of work dress was acceptable for all occasions. He hadn't even swapped out the coat. "Ready?" he asked, holding his hand out to the young tea boy, who took it gently. Jack led him down the stairs and out the door into the cool Welsh night. He stopped in front of the bike. "This is our chariot for the evening."

Ianto took one look at the bike and shook his head. "Oh, God. Jack, are you crazy? Has your ancient brain gone mad? I really don't think that's a good idea-it's not a good idea for one person. Let alone t—why are you laughing? This isn't funny!" He had seen motorbike accidents. They weren't pretty, and he didn't know if Jack could even drive one of these things.

"Hey, I got here fine, didn't I?"

"I don't know if you took a spill! You heal almost immediately!"

Jack only chuckled. He examined the uncomfortable expression that had spread across Ianto's face. Sighing, he pulled the tails of the coat underneath his body and swung his leg around the body of the bike. "C'mon," he coaxed, patting the space behind him. "I won't kill you. Promise."

Ianto was hesitant, but he did as Jack requested, carefully sitting on the bike. Jack handed him a helmet, and he put it on cautiously, double-checking everything he could to ensure it wouldn't fall off. He sat straight, holding onto the sides of the bike.

"Okay, Jack," he said softly. "I'm ready.

"You can hold onto me, Ianto. It's okay."

He slid forward on the seat and pressed his body to Jack's, wrapping his arms loosely around his waist. Jack started up the bike and started into his lane, and flicked his wrist, accelerating quickly. Ianto let out a yelp and tightened his grip around Jack's body, resting his chin on his shoulder and closing his eyes. They opened only to glance at the world that flew past them, which looked more like sleek and smooth waves of light rather than anything that had been built or inhabited. He wasn't sure where they were. He had no idea how Jack could have had any clue where they were going, where they were, or anything of the like.

They came to a stoplight and Jack put his foot on the ground to stabilize the bike. "You okay, Ianto?" he asked with a smile, turning his head so he could watch the other out of the corner of his eye.

Ianto bit his lip and flipped the helmet visor up. "Yeah. Just...not used to riding on these things."

"I can tell." Jack winked.

A blush came to Ianto's cheeks. He knew exactly what Jack was referring to. Straddling the motorbike was still new to him—he'd only ever ridden one once, and decided it was a bad idea—and the vibrations of the bike beneath his body were sending little jolts through his body. Ianto had noticed about three miles into the journey that his pants felt a little smaller; as the trip went on, the smaller they got. It was slightly uncomfortable and he was extremely embarrassed. Before Jack could make a comment, he flipped the visor back down and forced himself to sit so his pelvic area was away from Jack's body, for fear of making his condition worse.

Jack took off as soon as the light switched to green, and within a few minutes they had arrived at St. David's Shopping Centre. Jack guided the bike into a parking spot that was close to the sidewalk, shutting it off and pocketing the keys in his coat. "Ianto," he began with a laugh, "you can let go now. We're here."

"Oh, right." Ianto let go of Jack's waist and pulled the helmet from his head. He stood and placed it on the seat. He ran his hands through his hair as Jack stood and straightened his coat out. They exchanged a small smile and Jack led his date into Prezzo, a hand pressed gently between his shoulder blades.


End file.
